{"id":155663,"date":"2025-07-19T09:00:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T09:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=155663"},"modified":"2025-07-19T09:03:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T09:03:35","slug":"vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/","title":{"rendered":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem &#8211; By Malsha &#8211; eLanka"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #008080;\">Vanda thwaitesii:<\/span> Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem &#8211; By Malsha &#8211; eLanka<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flowersofindia.net\/catalog\/slides\/Thwaites%20Vanda.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-155664 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flowersofindia.net\/catalog\/slides\/Thwaites%20Vanda.jpg\" alt=\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 16px;\">Image Source :\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flowersofindia.net\/catalog\/slides\/Thwaites%20Vanda.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flowersofindia<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"182\" data-end=\"483\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a dazzling treasure of the Orchidaceae family \u2014 <em data-start=\"296\" data-end=\"314\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em>. This rare and exquisite orchid, endemic to the island nation, is a botanical gem that captivates the eye of horticulturists, orchid lovers, and conservationists alike.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"485\" data-end=\"527\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"488\" data-end=\"527\">Botanical Classification and Origin<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"528\" data-end=\"610\">\n<li data-start=\"528\" data-end=\"555\">\n<p data-start=\"530\" data-end=\"555\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"530\" data-end=\"541\">Family:<\/strong> Orchidaceae<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"556\" data-end=\"576\">\n<p data-start=\"558\" data-end=\"576\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"558\" data-end=\"568\">Genus:<\/strong> Vanda<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"577\" data-end=\"610\">\n<p data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"610\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"591\">Species:<\/strong> <em data-start=\"592\" data-end=\"610\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"612\" data-end=\"859\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The species is named in honour of <strong data-start=\"646\" data-end=\"680\">George Henry Kendrick Thwaites<\/strong>, a British botanist who made significant contributions to the study of Sri Lankan flora during his tenure as the director of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens in the 19th century.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"861\" data-end=\"894\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"864\" data-end=\"894\">Description and Morphology<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"895\" data-end=\"1165\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><em data-start=\"895\" data-end=\"913\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em> is a <strong data-start=\"919\" data-end=\"954\">terrestrial to epiphytic orchid<\/strong>, meaning it can grow on trees or on the ground in organic matter. It thrives in humid, montane forests and is usually found clinging to moss-covered branches or growing amidst leaf litter in shady environments.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1167\" data-end=\"1184\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Key Features:<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1185\" data-end=\"1586\">\n<li data-start=\"1185\" data-end=\"1371\">\n<p data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1371\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1199\">Flowers:<\/strong> The blossoms are typically small to medium-sized with <strong data-start=\"1254\" data-end=\"1273\">delicate petals<\/strong> in shades of <strong data-start=\"1287\" data-end=\"1330\">pale lavender, violet, or bluish purple<\/strong>, depending on the elevation and habitat.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1372\" data-end=\"1480\">\n<p data-start=\"1374\" data-end=\"1480\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"1374\" data-end=\"1385\">Leaves:<\/strong> The leaves are leathery and strap-shaped, arranged in a fan-like fashion along a slender stem.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1481\" data-end=\"1586\">\n<p data-start=\"1483\" data-end=\"1586\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"1483\" data-end=\"1493\">Roots:<\/strong> Like most vandas, <em data-start=\"1512\" data-end=\"1527\">V. thwaitesii<\/em> has thick, aerial roots that absorb moisture from the air.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1588\" data-end=\"1714\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The plant blooms mostly during the <strong data-start=\"1623\" data-end=\"1662\">late monsoon to post-monsoon season<\/strong>, showcasing a subtle fragrance and graceful beauty.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1716\" data-end=\"1747\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"1719\" data-end=\"1747\">Habitat and Distribution<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1748\" data-end=\"2091\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">This species is <strong data-start=\"1764\" data-end=\"1788\">endemic to Sri Lanka<\/strong>, specifically found in the <strong data-start=\"1816\" data-end=\"1836\">wet zone forests<\/strong> of the <strong data-start=\"1844\" data-end=\"1882\">central and southwestern highlands<\/strong>, such as <strong data-start=\"1892\" data-end=\"1920\">Sinharaja Forest Reserve<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1922\" data-end=\"1940\">Knuckles Range<\/strong>, and the <strong data-start=\"1950\" data-end=\"1977\">Hanthana mountain range<\/strong>. These areas are rich in biodiversity and receive ample rainfall, making them ideal habitats for <em data-start=\"2075\" data-end=\"2090\">V. thwaitesii<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2093\" data-end=\"2121\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"2096\" data-end=\"2121\">Ecological Importance<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2122\" data-end=\"2473\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Orchids like <em data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2153\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em> are important <strong data-start=\"2168\" data-end=\"2203\">indicators of ecological health<\/strong>. Their presence often reflects a balanced ecosystem with undisturbed forest canopies, stable humidity levels, and rich biodiversity. These orchids also form <strong data-start=\"2361\" data-end=\"2388\">symbiotic relationships<\/strong> with fungi (mycorrhiza), aiding nutrient absorption in nutrient-poor tropical soils.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2475\" data-end=\"2501\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"2478\" data-end=\"2501\">Conservation Status<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2502\" data-end=\"2577\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><em data-start=\"2502\" data-end=\"2520\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em> is considered <strong data-start=\"2535\" data-end=\"2558\">rare and vulnerable<\/strong>, primarily due to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2578\" data-end=\"2744\">\n<li data-start=\"2578\" data-end=\"2632\">\n<p data-start=\"2580\" data-end=\"2632\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"2580\" data-end=\"2596\">Habitat loss<\/strong> from deforestation and encroachment<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2633\" data-end=\"2678\">\n<p data-start=\"2635\" data-end=\"2678\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"2635\" data-end=\"2657\">Illegal collection<\/strong> for ornamental trade<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2679\" data-end=\"2744\">\n<p data-start=\"2681\" data-end=\"2744\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"2681\" data-end=\"2699\">Climate change<\/strong>, which alters its delicate montane ecosystem<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2746\" data-end=\"2989\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">The species is listed in the <strong data-start=\"2775\" data-end=\"2796\">CITES Appendix II<\/strong>, meaning its trade is regulated to prevent exploitation. In Sri Lanka, it is protected under the <strong data-start=\"2894\" data-end=\"2934\">Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance<\/strong>, and collecting specimens from the wild is prohibited.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2991\" data-end=\"3025\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"2994\" data-end=\"3025\">Cultivation and Propagation<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"3026\" data-end=\"3391\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">While cultivation is difficult due to its specific habitat needs, some orchid enthusiasts and botanical gardens have attempted to <strong data-start=\"3156\" data-end=\"3188\">propagate <em data-start=\"3168\" data-end=\"3186\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em><\/strong> through <strong data-start=\"3197\" data-end=\"3217\">micropropagation<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"3222\" data-end=\"3238\">seed culture<\/strong> under controlled environments. Success in these ventures not only helps conservation efforts but also offers insights into ex-situ preservation methods.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"3393\" data-end=\"3410\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong data-start=\"3396\" data-end=\"3410\">Conclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"3411\" data-end=\"3776\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><em data-start=\"3411\" data-end=\"3429\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em> is more than just a flower; it is a symbol of Sri Lanka\u2019s rich natural heritage. Protecting this orchid is a step toward preserving the island\u2019s irreplaceable biodiversity. Whether admired in the wild or studied in botanical institutions, <em data-start=\"3669\" data-end=\"3687\">Vanda thwaitesii<\/em> continues to enchant and educate, reminding us of nature\u2019s intricate and fragile beauty.<\/span><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em><a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/elanka-newsletter-sign-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click here to receive your free copy of the eLanka Newsletter twice a week delivered directly\u00a0to\u00a0your\u00a0inbox!<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem &#8211; By Malsha &#8211; eLanka Image Source :\u00a0flowersofindia Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a dazzling treasure of the Orchidaceae family \u2014 Vanda thwaitesii. This rare and exquisite orchid, endemic to the island nation, is a botanical gem that captivates the eye of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":155664,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,49983],"tags":[80720,80722,80721,80723,80726,80719,80725,80724,80718],"class_list":{"0":"post-155663","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-aside","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"category-malsha-madhuhansi","9":"tag-endemic-orchids-of-sri-lanka","10":"tag-orchidaceae-family-orchids","11":"tag-rare-orchids-in-sri-lanka","12":"tag-sri-lanka-native-orchid-species","13":"tag-sri-lanka-orchid-conservation","14":"tag-sri-lankan-orchids","15":"tag-tropical-orchids-of-sri-lanka","16":"tag-vanda-orchid-sri-lanka","17":"tag-vanda-thwaitesii","18":"post_format-post-format-aside"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Vanda thwaitesii<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"eLanka\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/eLanka.com.au\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-19T09:00:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-19T09:03:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"eLanka admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"eLanka admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"eLanka admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/person\/f6e635b74ab35ef88a68a9973cacc5bd\"},\"headline\":\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem &#8211; By Malsha &#8211; eLanka\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-19T09:00:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-19T09:03:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/\"},\"wordCount\":543,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png\",\"keywords\":[\"endemic orchids of Sri Lanka\",\"Orchidaceae family orchids\",\"rare orchids in Sri Lanka\",\"Sri Lanka native orchid species\",\"Sri Lanka orchid conservation\",\"Sri Lankan orchids\",\"tropical orchids of Sri Lanka\",\"Vanda orchid Sri Lanka\",\"Vanda thwaitesii\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Articles\",\"Malsha Madhuhansi\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/\",\"name\":\"Vanda thwaitesii\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-19T09:00:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-19T09:03:35+00:00\",\"description\":\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png\",\"width\":600,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/category\/articles\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem &#8211; By Malsha &#8211; eLanka\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/\",\"name\":\"eLanka\",\"description\":\"eLanka - Sri lanka events in Australia\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#organization\",\"name\":\"eLanka\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/elanka-logo.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/elanka-logo.jpg\",\"width\":192,\"height\":82,\"caption\":\"eLanka\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/eLanka.com.au\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/elanka\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/SriLankanDownUnder\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/person\/f6e635b74ab35ef88a68a9973cacc5bd\",\"name\":\"eLanka admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2e0d346a7f97b80e861cdeafe7b7de523b59f5060666f1a5da8369457bf9b6c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2e0d346a7f97b80e861cdeafe7b7de523b59f5060666f1a5da8369457bf9b6c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"eLanka admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/author\/elanka\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Vanda thwaitesii","description":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka","og_description":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a","og_url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/","og_site_name":"eLanka","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/eLanka.com.au\/","article_published_time":"2025-07-19T09:00:11+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-19T09:03:35+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"eLanka admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"eLanka admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/"},"author":{"name":"eLanka admin","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/person\/f6e635b74ab35ef88a68a9973cacc5bd"},"headline":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem &#8211; By Malsha &#8211; eLanka","datePublished":"2025-07-19T09:00:11+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-19T09:03:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/"},"wordCount":543,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png","keywords":["endemic orchids of Sri Lanka","Orchidaceae family orchids","rare orchids in Sri Lanka","Sri Lanka native orchid species","Sri Lanka orchid conservation","Sri Lankan orchids","tropical orchids of Sri Lanka","Vanda orchid Sri Lanka","Vanda thwaitesii"],"articleSection":["Articles","Malsha Madhuhansi"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/","url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/","name":"Vanda thwaitesii","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png","datePublished":"2025-07-19T09:00:11+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-19T09:03:35+00:00","description":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka Among the lush rainforests and misty highlands of Sri Lanka grows a","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vanda-thwaitesii-.png","width":600,"height":400,"caption":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem - By Malsha - eLanka"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/vanda-thwaitesii-sri-lankas-hidden-orchid-gem-by-malsha-elanka\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Articles","item":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/category\/articles\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Vanda thwaitesii: Sri Lanka\u2019s Hidden Orchid Gem &#8211; By Malsha &#8211; eLanka"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#website","url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/","name":"eLanka","description":"eLanka - Sri lanka events in Australia","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#organization","name":"eLanka","url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/elanka-logo.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/elanka-logo.jpg","width":192,"height":82,"caption":"eLanka"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/eLanka.com.au\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/elanka\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/SriLankanDownUnder"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/person\/f6e635b74ab35ef88a68a9973cacc5bd","name":"eLanka admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2e0d346a7f97b80e861cdeafe7b7de523b59f5060666f1a5da8369457bf9b6c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2e0d346a7f97b80e861cdeafe7b7de523b59f5060666f1a5da8369457bf9b6c3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"eLanka admin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew"],"url":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/author\/elanka\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155663"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":155666,"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155663\/revisions\/155666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}